Course Overview

4

Years

8

Level

New course

Points

AL855

CAO Course Code

Why take this course?

This is an exciting course, which includes a compulsory overseas work placement. You will study the full suite of topics related to managing hospitality at the highest level, including bar, restaurant, front office and food and beverage management.

Tourism is now the largest indigenous employer in Ireland, with 230,000 people employed in the industry (Irish Times, 2016). In addition:

2016 was the best year in history for Irish tourism, over 10 million international tourists visited Ireland, up almost 1.5 million from 2015 (Tourism Ireland, 2017);

The tourism sector supports 143,500 jobs in the accommodation and food sector alone (Department of Tourism, Transport and Sport, 2017);

In 2016, tourism was responsible for overseas earnings of €5.4 billion (Department of Tourism, Transport and Sport, 2017);

In 2019 the UK holiday company Centre Parcs will open a new resort in Ballymahon. The Center Parcs village will be the biggest private tourism development in the history of the State, costing €233 million.

What will I experience?

​Business management modules, including HRM, Marketing, Accounting and IT

2 compulsory work placements, with at least one compulsory placement overseas

Students in the Department of Hospitality, Tourism and Leisure are eligible to take part in annual international fieldtrips. In the last two years we have visited Italy, Spain, France, China and Dubai. Joining us in 2018? Then you could come on our next trip to Dubai, in January 2019.

Find out more about this course and our facilities by attending one of our regular open evenings where you can meet teaching staff and current students.

Three Irish hotels (Ballyfin, Waterford, Ashford) recently featured in the top 10 hotels in the world in a major international travel publication, Condé Nást, in late 2016, with Ballyfin Demense featuring in first place. These five star hotels, and others national and internationally, such as Dromoland Castle, the Savoy and the Ritz (London), Fitzpatrick’s (New York), employ AIT Department of Hospitality, Tourism and Leisure graduates;

What opportunities might it lead to?

Your specialist knowledge of hospitality management could lead to a career in the resort, hotel and tourism industries. Here are some routes our graduates have pursued:

Assessment Information

We place a lot of emphasis on student support and so we aim to provide a learning environment that is both stimulating and academically challenging, whilst also supporting your learning. You will encounter a range of teaching methods- from lectures, workshops and seminars to hands on practical food and beverage restaurant and kitchen classes. The course is taught by experienced lecturers with a track record of success in many sectors including the hospitality, tourism and culinary industries.

How are you assessed?

We appreciate that different students have different learning styles and so we provide a range of assessment approaches to suit everybody. Here are some of the ways we assess your work:

Minimum Entry Requirements: Minimum O6/H7 grades in the Leaving Certificate examination. One of the six subjects presented must include English. Two of the six subjects must be at a grade of H5 or above. Level 5 QQI: Any QQI-FET level 5 qualification is acceptable but must contain a minimum of 3 distinctions.

Explore Our World & Discover Yours at AIT

Lecturer Testimonial

Dymphna Scanlon, Lecturer in Hospitality Management

"The hospitality industry is a dynamic, ever evolving industry that provides a wealth of employment opportunities around the world. Now is the right time to begin your career in this fantastic industry!"

Student Testimonial

Hospitality, Tourism and Leisure students in Beijing, 2016

"I throughly enjoyed myself on our Beijing fieldtrip. It was great to meet students from other courses and to learn about our industry in another country. I would recommend these trips to all students!"

Student Testimonial

Hospitality, Tourism and Leisure students in Dubai, 2017

"Dubai was an incredible experience for us. It was a place we never thought we would have wanted to visit but now we have a whole new perspective for ourfuture careers! We loved seeing the different culture and learning about the history of Dubai."

Student Testimonial

Anna Pilska, Diploma in Restaurant Management, 2015

"The Diploma in Restaurant Management gave me the best professional preparation and confidence in my work performance. I had many years experience in restaurants before, but that course opened my mind to what I was doing right or wrong."

Course Structure

Year 1

Introduction to Customer Service, Business and Management

Learning and Development for Higher Education

Beverage Studies

Gastronomy

Environment, Health & Safety Management

Language – French / German / Spanish (languages are optional)

Hospitality Costings

Restaurant and Culinary Skills

Computer Applications 1 for Hotel & Leisure

Year 2

Restaurant and Culinary Management

Front Office and Rooms Division Operations

Accounting

Marketing

Language – French / German / Spanish (languages are optional)

Work Placement (can be national or international)

Year 3

Hospitality Event Management

Human Resource Management and Training

Marketing

Accounting

Tourism Management

Language – French / German / Spanish (languages are optional)

Placement (must be international)

Year 4

Strategic Management

Financial Management

Marketing Management

Dissertation

Data Analytics

Tourism Management

Careers & Opportunities

Work Placement

​Students take two work placements during this course, in summer of 2nd year and in summer of 3rd year. The first work placement can be taken locally, nationally or internationally and the second placement must be international. The Department provides dedicated support with all work placements, including assisting students in finding opportunities and then making sure they have positive experiences in field. Depending on where you want to go, you may have to contribute to costs for transport/ accommodation at the placement, but this will often be employer funded. We will strive to find paid work placement opportunities for you.

Further Study

​Progression to the Master’s Business Studies degree in the Department of Business and Management at AIT;